kwayteow_mama
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Posts posted by kwayteow_mama
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#1
On 8/30/2022 at 8:29 AM, K-dramafan22 said:Can anyone see who is saving Mudeok/Naksu/Bu-yeon? Surely Bu-yeon is still going to live to give a closure in S2 right?
#2
On 8/30/2022 at 7:57 AM, marrez1 said:https://n.news.naver.com/article/469/0000694345?sid=103
well, there were rumors all over the place saying that ue JSM would return as a supporting role or as a cameo.
They were much obliged TVn spoke out to say that JSM will not return under any capacity in part 2, because according to them it is necessary for the continuity of the story in which the souls can change bodiesHonestly?
Either:
#1 drama trolling us since #2 tells us JSM is not gonna be back period.
Or:
#2 tvn trolling us and they will pull a surprise with JSM cameo for some logical continuity to #1
For me, fine if they want to switch out the FL but make a clean break for the former FL instead of dangling out a carrot like that. It isn't fair for both FL character.
17 hours ago, K-dramafan22 said:Two lead girls is definitely no problem......it is in fact interesting for us to know if Jang Uk is truly comfortable with Naksu's soul or comfortable with Mudeok's face. If Jang Uk chooses Naksu, then they are truly SOUL-mates!!!
Same here, two lead girls is not a problem for me either. I'm actually one of those not buying that JSM character need to be eliminated as necessary for the story to continue. There's so much potential for JBY storyline even if she won't end up as Uk's love interest in S2.
Anyway, agree with all who thinks that drama will whip out the red thread of destiny trope. Uk will find his/her love regardless of which body his/her soul drifts into (so happen Naksu here happens to be the gorgeous GYJ). Being gender neutral here to be in line with all this soul talk. Realism has no relevance here. Drama will be as artistic as they want to be.
[EDIT] Hello all again. Just sharing a pretty good review which sums up most of our sentiment for AoS
Link:
Netflix K-drama review: Alchemy of Souls – no happy endings as Season 1 of epic fantasy romance closes on a note of anticipation
Pierce Conran - Yesterday 6:15 pmReactComments|1-
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- The epic Netflix fantasy series has come to an end with a few plot twists to prepare viewers for Season 2
- The romance between Jung So-min's character Mu-deok and Lee Jae-wook's Jang Uk is interrupted by Mu-deok's alter ego Nak-su attacking Jang Uk
This article contains spoilers.
3.5/5 stars
The period fantasy action-romance Alchemy of Souls came to a grand conclusion over the weekend. The climactic moments we'd all been waiting for arrived in the penultimate episode, but the relief was short-lived.
We've known for a while that Alchemy of Souls will be returning for a second season (currently in production and slated to premiere in December). As the finale arrived, several wild cards were tossed into the mix, tearing apart the happy endings achieved by many of the characters just a day earlier.
Chief among those was the epic romance between blind girl Mu-deok/Nak-su (Jung So-min) and trainee mage Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook). Jung and Lee's chemistry conveyed how the pair felt about each other, even as the characters had to refrain from acting on those feelings.
This was partly because of their divergent social ranks, but also because of the secrets they shared, which grew throughout the season, putting pressure on their union even before it had begun.
After weeks of setting up a complex web of rival mage clans, backstories and shifting loyalties, the Hong Sisters - Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ra, also writers of fan favourites such as Hotel Del Luna - forced everything out into the open.
With the evil mage Jin Mu (Jo Jae-yun) pulling the strings, the Jinyowon Clan attempts a coup to push out the Songlim Clan. This involves revealing the Ice Stone, which can bring people back from the dead.
Jin Mu is secretly backed by Queen Seo Ha-sun (Kang Kyung-hun), who is in fact a powerful mage whose soul shifted into the queen's body years earlier.
Jung So-min as Mu-deok (left) and Lee Jae-wook as Jang Uk in a still from Alchemy of Souls.© Provided by South China Morning PostThe coup leads to a demonstration of the Ice Stone's powers. Mu-deok is selected to be killed and brought back to life. But instead the demonstration creates an event that traps several characters in a magical storm.
Mu-deok regains her powers and plans to leave, but her love for Jang Uk is too strong. After a passionate kiss, they save the day together. The queen's identity is revealed and everything appears to be settled.
The pair plan to go away together, but Jin Mu, upon learning that Mu-deok's weak body is but a vessel for the soul of warrior sorceress Nak-su, casts a spell on her.
Yu Jun-sang as Park Jin (left) and Oh Na-ra as Maidservant Kim in a still from Alchemy of Souls.© Provided by South China Morning PostDuring the marriage of Park Dang-gu (Yoo In-soo) and Jin Cho-yeon (Arin), all hell breaks loose. The vengeful Nak-su goes on a bloody rampage that ends with her burying her sword in Jang Uk's chest.
Yet in the magical world of Daeho nothing is quite so final, and as the show's beloved characters reach their lowest point, the stage is set for season two.
At the heart of Alchemy of Souls has been Jung So-min, whose steady presence provided a middle ground between stars with acting chops such as the veteran Yu Jun-sang (who plays Songlim Clan leader Park Jin) and younger cast members, some of whose performances are rather dry.
Jung was not the first choice for the role; Mu-deok was originally to be played by Park Hye-eun of The School Nurse Files, until she left the show suddenly during pre-production. Jung she was clearly the right choice; she brought balance to the sprawling series.
The show's highly saturated colours and video-game-style graphics suggest that the intended audience for the show skewed young, so it was no surprise that the younger characters were given precedence in the story. Thankfully, the show left a few satisfying crumbs for a broader audience.
This included a delightful season-long courtship between Park Jin and Maidservant Kim, played by Yu Jun-sang and Oh Na-ra, who engaged in a series of droll and sheepish encounters that had us rooting for them.
The Hong Sisters relied on a complicated series of flashbacks to move their story forward. While the narrative never falls apart, it was easy to lose track of what happened or how people and events connected to each other.
Also difficult to pin down was the magic used in the show, the rules of which often felt arbitrary. New rules or explanations would suddenly appear to force through certain plot twists.
Lee Jae-wook as Jang Uk in a still from Alchemy of Souls.© Provided by South China Morning PostThe elasticity of the narrative and its magical fabric wasn't always convincing, but it did allow the season to end with an explosion of satisfying melodramatic excess. The major swings and twists in the last few episodes were reminiscent of Korea's makjang (soap opera) dramas.
With its fast-paced plotting, engaging characters and resplendent wardrobe, Alchemy of Souls was a compelling escapist fantasy that helped us fly through the sweltering summer. But will these magical characters keep us warm throughout the cold winter months? And besides, what is next?
A brief teaser at the end of the finale showed us plenty of action, some returning characters with new hairstyles, and the return of Go Yoon-jung as Nak-su.
Spoiler
Jung So-min as Mu-deok in a still from Alchemy of Souls.© Provided by South China Morning PostA big question mark hovers over the fate of Mu-deok. Reports have suggested that Jung So-min may not be involved in the next season, but given that Mu-deok is saved from a watery grave in the closing moments of the finale, it's hard to imagine she won't appear in some form.
Alchemy of Souls is streaming on Netflix.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
Copyright (c) 2022. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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1 hour ago, K-dramafan22 said:
It's like that character is so BADLY CONSTIPATED and just could not come out!!!
It's the first time I have encountered a character like this...the mystery never ends for this character.....Initially my expectation was a romance with Jang Uk....then my expectation kept lowering until I just wanted to know exactly WHERE was she existing in? 5th dimension? Multiverse?? whatever....just give me an answer!!!
THANKS CHINGU you just described exactly how I felt after watching ep 20 and lying in the bed thinking about it, CONSTIPATED... that's how I felt.
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S2 preview
I'll start with saying all hell may break loose but the overriding principle is Jang Uk/ Cho Yeong romance end game. Period. They can end at some bridge or on top of a tree, cliff side, lake etc, soul shifter/ brought back to life/ ice stone/ body incinerated/ frozen etc, regardless of birth secrets and power levels.
S2 is gonna be like a different drama than S1. I signed up for fantasy rom com for S1, I'm not sure if I have the stomach for the darker vibe in S2. That said, the young cast of S2 are sizzling with more sexual tension now esp Jang Uk/Naksu/Cho Yeong. If JSM/LJW has the cute romance type, GYJ/LJW is a more mature, sexy couple type. I wouldn't be surprised if they finally consumated their relationship in S2.
Considering the lack of filming updates from JSM now that the cast is in the thick of filming S2, I wonder if JSM may appear in a cameo role at the end of S2 when they finally explain how in the world Naksu was sucked back into her body and how her body was reconstructed/ being preserved or whatever. IF they will tell us, that is.
Ep20
It is a horrible episode not because the OTP did not end up together, or for the FL to stab the ML at the end. It is horrible in my books because I don't feel any wiser at the so called finale. I mean fine MD/JBY is not the true love of Jang Uk so she has to get out of the picture somehow so that the main OTP can be together properly. I don't feel like I get any closure for any of the main questions in the story, chief among them being JBY story. [Am also one of those who only stay on watching the drama for JBY story development, was really looking forward to Mama Jin realization that she almost killed her own daughter or that her daughter killed her own father soul shifter mode knowing that father had a hand in almost killing said daughter, this was the more interesting tangent to me] If they plan to just leave her story hanging like that, I've rather they left MD as a random blind girl on the streets instead of building her story to get me emotionally invested in her character only to have her do absolutely nothing when you have absolutely expected her to do something being the so called most powerful priestess at Daeho.
And what happened to that poster scene? You know the one at the bridge where MD is in purple garb. You know what? It's okay, I bet it's as inconsequential as the ring picking scene.
Conclusion, S2 is going to be the binge watch type of drama for me and only if it includes JBY story.
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I think the sequence for JBY locking Naksu and the people around her into the icestone was so that Naksu doesn't just run away with the ice stone. If Uk's life isn't at stake, she would probably take the easier way and just escape.
Somehow I thought about Frozen/Frozen 2 a lot when I watch AoS.
- Master Lee putting Jin Mu in place with snow power icicles
- Yesterday's barrier like the one that engulfs the enchanted forest
- And the tornado touchdown which looked like Gale's first meeting Elsa & Anna's gang
Likes:
- FL rescuing ML instead of the typical hero saving the damsel in distress.
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MD/Naksu's hair there when she spin around and hit the ball of energy and the way her hair just falls back during their kiss
- At least the kiss did happened per the preview instead of trolling us normally
What I've wished to see:
- A longer fight scene for MD/Naksu. Is it just me or the soulshifter was kinda sluggish
- Mama Jin looking more guilty if she really believed that MD was JBY? (I'm assuming she has put two and two together that MD IS JBY, I'll be really speechless if she's still only suspicious at this point...) For some reason she wasn't rattled at all that she almost killed her own daughter whom she dearly misses. So it better be for some good reason.
- Naksu putting two and two together that MD is JBY. At the rate we're going I really wonder if we're ever going to see this by end of S1
For next week's episodes:
- I'm assuming after the kiss we're going to see MD/Naksu telling Uk how she has died and come back to life through the ice stone and seeing the real MD and I really hope Uk will guide her to the realization that MD is the REAL JBY. Something like, hey you saw the blind MD? Me too when I almost got soul shifted with Gilju. And how come Uk is still alive after locking himself up with the soul shifter in the secret room?
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JSM looked so pretty with her hair down I do hope her changing into the new attire is because she's being recognized as the REAL JBY and not because she's going to be someone's bridesmaid or something. But I'm just so used to this show trolling us
- Looking forward if we're going to see the poster bridge scene? I think the chisu looking at the moon on tall tree will be a S2 thing.
29 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:- It appears Dang Gu and Cho Yeon will be tasked with protecting the real Queen's soul when fake Jin Dad shows up
Oooh I'll be super excited for this sequence
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6 hours ago, frozentundra said:
@youactlikeicaresaid that one possibility would be for Buyeon to somehow dissolve the ice stone. Buyeon died in the womb and the ice stone brought her back to life. So you could look at it as if it's the only thing keeping her soul around. If she decided to sacrifice herself and disappear from her not-quite-natural life, then she would leave Naksu as the only soul in that body. Also if she disappeared, then her hold over Naksu's powers would be lifted, giving Naksu back all her earlier strength. Since I don't even know Buyeon (and her aliveness is a bit questionable/odd), then it would be fine with me if that happened. (Not trying to be cold-blooded, she seemed a very nice person when young. Just thinking solely about how to solve the plot issues at this point.)
Ah okay I get you now. I was confused on the bit where you said something about allowing JSM to continue to play that character.
6 hours ago, frozentundra said:I do think there was chemistry on fire at the beginning, and in the last few episodes it's waned due to director decisions. They are capable of much more than standing covid-length apart and growling, "I love you."
"Standing covid-length apart and growling I love you" - How apt! LOL
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10 hours ago, frozentundra said:
I think as a plot point she's important, but as a character we are supposed to care about, I think by ep 17 it's too late. I think the reason people want there to be something important about her is because of Jung So Min. There was that leak way back when about her possibly not being signed on for season 2 (whereas Original Naksu's actress IS signed on) that made people think Naksu would go back to her original body. (Which was burned on screen. But hey, sometimes dramas defy logic...) The fact is, JSM personally as an actress has created some really excellent chemistry with the rest of the cast. So even though it's Naksu's soul that Jang Uk knows and is in love with (he doesn't know Buyeon at ALL)--people want to keep JSM's lovely chemistry in there, to the point that they are willing to ask Buyeon to step up and be important. (I don't think this can work, though--she has had no personality on screen for 16 episodes, and Uk doesn't even know her.) I really, REALLY hope the writers and director know what they are doing here. Asking the audience to believe in a completely different actress as Naksu *while at the height of the love arc* is asking a lot (probably too much). Asking the audience to believe in the same actress but suddenly with an entirely different character who doesn't even know Jang Uk *at the height of the love arc* is likewise asking too much. Dramas do not always satisfy at the end, it's true. I just hope they find a way to make it emotionally believable.
Wow thank you for this. Now I can better comprehend this weird feeling I have about the change in FL for S1/S2.
10 hours ago, frozentundra said:Yes, this would be my preference, too. If they mess around with the ice stone to the point that it eliminates Buyeon's soul inside that body, it would free Naksu's powers and leave her with Mudeok's body--thus allowing JSM to continue to play that character.
Care to elaborate more chingu? I've always thought the only way JSM could return in S2 is for JBY character to survive.
13 hours ago, youactlikeicare said:I am really worried about Jung So Min possibly not being in part two. This only works for me if they throw the whole Jang Uk/Naksu romance plot away and put them with other people. I think if they try to make the relationship work with a new actress, they better be 100% sure that the chemistry matches or is better. If not, they are just setting up the actress and couple to fail.
At this point, objectively speaking, I don't imagine much issue for LJW to pull off the romance chemistry with GYJ since they're closer in age. As with any news, once the the hype dies down, no one is going to remember this. In fact initially when PD rope in JSM after the first change in FL, I did wonder if the real life age gap between JSM/LJW's gonna dim the romance chemistry a little (nothing to do with the actor/actress, just a general thought on any actress/actor pairing with significant age gap). I saw some comment that they rather JSM not take up the drama for this same reason (not to mention I guess the awkwardness of replacing a younger actress).
Also I gather from a lot of comments that viewer base is almost equally divided on whether they like the chemistry or not. Even if people don't generally agree on the same thing, usually you will find more supporters if not mainstream consensus liking the chemistry of the OTP of the particular romance drama (since they watch the romance drama in the first place). So AoS kinda finds itself in a awkward position in this sense. I'm really not sure what the drama is trying to do but the less savory byproduct of it is the inadvertent introduction of a kind of complicated love triangle between Uk/Naksu/Mudeok and by association, the actresses themselves. Generally people fall under a more middle ground type of response but I shudder to see some of the more extreme response that escalates into something like a fandom war.
Personally, I am a UkieDeoki shipper but admittedly I am quite disappointed with the drama direction on their romantic chemistry after the earlier episodes. So I cajoled myself into thinking that drama is deliberately downplaying the romance between LJW/JSM to pave way for GYJ reprising Naksu's character in S2. But obviously I'm wrong with that second kiss scene there. Or is this case of trying to please everyone and ending up pleasing no one in the end?
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1 hour ago, LeftCoastOppa said:
I don't think we're ever going to see a development of the actual Bu Yeon character - not enough time left. If the actress isn't involved in Part 2 then its safe to say Mu Deok/Bu Yeon isn't involved, which is why I'm hoping the Jang Uk/Naksu story ends at episode 20 - Let the rumors of Part 2 being spin offs be true
Yeah I'm with you we're probably not gonna see development of JBY character other than to be the deux ex machina to save the world or Jang Uk or to bring Naksu body back by end S1. By Jang Uk/Naksu story end, do you mean Naksu being in MD's body or the romance? While JSM may or may not be back, Uk/Naksu romance is gonna be back in S2 if not the central premise. They just released an article saying how Jang Uk and Cho Yeong's name means light and shadow respectively which foreshadow their inescapable destiny entanglement with each other. For the record, I ship Uk/MD but all hints seemed to pointing towards Uk/Naksu. If my speculation is right, I'm just going to pretend S2 is a different drama from S1.
1 hour ago, maribella said:If it had been burnt to cinders, we are going to get some corny body stealing or swapping. I can't take that.
Just tell me how JG brought the dead foetus to life and what happened after that. I'll be happy.
LOL her burnt body will be brought back the way JG can bring a dead foetus back to life.
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On 8/15/2022 at 6:24 PM, LeftCoastOppa said:
Oh please no - WAY too much ugly weirdness in that - Jang Gang isn't/wasn't really devoted to Do-Hwa, Jang Uk is loving up on his half sisters body ... soulshift talk wont get around the bio/physical that is the same dad. just ewwwww!
Second you there! There's only so much makjang I can take even if this is a fantasy drama. And after that second kiss if it turns out that Buyeon and Jang Uk are soul siblings!!!!
20 hours ago, backstreetboysfan said:OMG a new Kiss in the the extended trailer what no way!
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Actually, my first reaction was like, what not again?! (in terms of showing the kiss in a preview, not the kissing per se. Any kiss scene is welcome in my books!! )
My next thought was, wait is that going to be the final kiss of S1 before some kind of angsty end? And finally... we're prolly only gonna see it next weekend.
15 hours ago, maribella said:I don't like it. Two souls should have two bodies eventually. It may be good for the show so far, to have a 'collaboration' of Naksu and BY renamed MD.
It wasn't as if Naksu asked for permission before entering MD's body. I was looking forward to the explanation for a dead foetus being born and grew up to a young woman. At the end, Naksu should find her own body. Maybe kill off So-I and reuse it.
Based on S2, my current thinking goes this way:
End game will be two souls two bodies. JBY/MD character will either be sacrificed to bring peace to Daeho or to save Jang Uk or even if she survives, be relegated to Jinyowon leader who won't have a big presence in Jang Uk's subsequent journey. Naksu doesn't need to soul shift to So-I, she will somehow get back her own body. S2 + article below just kinda reinforce who's the actual OTP of this drama? Doesn't get any more yin yang than this
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7 hours ago, confusedheart said:
Did you enjoy the drama? I liked the book, though just read just the Part 1, I liked the book more. The onscreen representation failed to make an impact, expect the handsome LMH.
No I couldn't find the momentum to watch the drama, not even for a hot scene with LMH! LOL
Not sure if it's the age thing, it's just so hard to get into a drama... anytime I see something interesting and the recap is available on dramabeans, I just speed run the whole thing by reading LOL If the story is good then I will start on the drama..
During the hiatus for AoS, I read the whole recap for Hwayugi (due to time constraint
and mostly because I don't have the stomach for horror 
) I must say that I also really like the romance there! It's the same FL with cafe minamdang no? And Lee Seung Gi is reuniting with Lee Se Young in a drama properly featuring them as the OTP...
On 8/16/2022 at 3:57 AM, nohamahamoud2002 said:Starring Anthony Hopkins? I watched it many times, Hopkins is just so good. This is one of my favourite Hopkins movies, I like "The Edge" too
Anthony Hopkins? Hannibal Lecter!!! My favorite fictional villain of all time.. Highly recommend Silence of the lambs for anyone here into psychological horror mystery, though for me I prefer the book
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Thanks @partyon for the tag
Hello hello everyone here!!! Very nice to meet all of you and read your experiences. To be honest I haven't read through everything but thought I just share something quickly
I didn't know I needed this check in to kind of put things into perspective!
Current status:
Escape to AoS world! Surreptitiously stealing every second I can out of real life to scroll on twitter and forums on any AoS crumbs I could get my hands on. Also trying very very hard to stay focus on real life LOL Forums and twitter are a real lifeline whenever I get into a live watching craze! Last live watching craze: Mr Queen. Maybe I have a thing for soul swapping hijinks
Real life is crazy.. Being the INFP I am, can't help but feel uneasy with the recent geopolitical developments these day. Why can't we try to focus on the similarities than the differences and work together instead of against each other. WORLD PEACE people!!!
On a more mundane level, need to challenge self to get out of a career rut LOL but find motivation wanting..
Recent Book: Pachinko. To be honest, I only read up to the part before Noa became adult. There are quotes that is really inspiring to me and it really reinforces my respect for the grit and perseverance of the older generation and theirs in a generation that are more in touch with the basic reality of life that really put things into perspective for life today.
A quote from the book that speaks to me:
They could not bear to disappoint him; yet they loved him enough not to dote on him. The peasants knew that a spoiled son did more harm to a family than a dead one...
Recent drama that got me hooked: Alchemy of Souls
To be honest it started with real interest in Lee Jae Wook/ Jung So Min/ Minhyun chemistry but these days I find myself just watching with a duty to finish the drama. Not sure if it's just my observation but kdramas often start with a bang only to fizzle out halfway through. In spite of Hong Sister notoriety I'm almost always hooked by the initial character/ relationship set up. As for the ending, I find that I actually prefer artistic angsty end to typical/makjang happy end just for the sake of a happy ending.
Before that I've finished Bad and Crazy. How does Lee Dong Wook keeps getting more and more good looking as he age??? There's one hot kissing scene (in my books) in there though actually the romance is not central to the story. For the benefit of those who have yet to experience it:
Spoiler11 hours ago, joccu said:i traveled. Was trekking in Switzerland and then I was exploring Denmark.
Chingu just wanna say, your life is my dream!!!
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@sadthe1st @frozentundra i ROFL at gowon's raised eyebrow response. So on point!!!
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16 hours ago, frozentundra said:
(Please don't throw tomatoes, but as convenient as it would be to split Mudeok into Naksu and Buyeon (and heck, they could do it, less believable things have happened in dramas)--it just wouldn't hold logic for me. Naksu is in love with Uk, not Yul. Meanwhile, Uk only knows Naksu. He and Buyeon have never even had a conversation. The Mudeok he knows is all Naksu. Real relationships are built on much more than appearances; if he got the body of Mudeok and the mind of a complete stranger in the end...it would be really sad. He would have lost the actual person he was in love with and knew.)
No tomatoes thrown! That's a valid argument and I think you will find a lot of support in many places
The only reason I think they will split the body is because of GYJ return in S2 to be honest.
With JSM appearance in S2 not confirmed, I'm only guessing she's going to play a very minor role, even if she appear at all. I mean why keep it a secret at all if she's coming back..
This is how I see the romance between Yul-Uk-Naksu-Cho Yeong-MD-JBY (disregarding the theory that Naksu-Cho Yeong-MD-JBY are one person):
Makes most sense by story consistency: Uk-Naksu/Cho Yeong
Makes most sense by on screen chemistry: Yul-Naksu/Cho Yeong
Simply by my personal preference: Uk-MD/ JBY (just to correlate back to the destiny of Master Seogyeong and Jin Seol Ran)
But like you say, anything is possible in a drama..
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Dear chingus, check out this twitter to relieve our AoS boredom
Credit to this very creative individual
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56 minutes ago, frozentundra said:
Then again, Mudeok seems most honest in her feelings when Uk is in danger, so if she is pulling out swords to defend him in future episodes, the romance line may sort itself out a bit more, too. Or (lol) maybe she will watch Choyeon and Danggu being sappy, and pick up some tips. (If she can stop gagging first.
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Hope so chingu!!! Drama better don't let me down this time with Uk's reaction by giving her a granma pat on the back again
Honestly my bar is so low now that I'll be happy even to see Uk bring Naksu out in town at night and their troubles are forgotten for a moment, defenses down for a moment and a real genuine smile is exchanged (not out of master's pride, please we've seen that) instead of the usual oh RickRoll'D, you've seen through me, I don't know what to do about it except to look at you with all my defenses up
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Thanks @partyon at creating the hiatus poll to enliven our lives for these two weeks!!!
17 hours ago, partyon said:b) She is a low-key fraudster who was forced to do petty crimes to survive. She probably cares about Mu Deok, but due to unlucky circumstances she is now in a position where she might have to betray Mu Deok. I believe she will do the right thing in the end, but I am not sure Yul is the right man for her...
Leaning on a nicer response too
I wouldn't vote her as world nicest person but she's not really evil evil like Dangollae and Jin Mu and I can understand her dilemma. By magic of scriptwriting, she has also spared two of the main cast currently. Still not rooting for romance with Yul though! If I might add, I find her prep to be JBY scene a bit too clunky for my liking. Bracing for more gut wrenching Mom-fake JBY-real JBY action.. just pray it doesn't get unnecessary clunky, we've only got 4 episodes left for S1!
15 hours ago, partyon said:Me too! I just LOVED her sass, glare and her fighting skills!
No offense to Jung So Min, but she's very different from the original Naksu actress. I don't think JSM could pull off the original Naksu scenes in the same way.
Kudos to the casting choice of GYJ - she totally nailed it as Naksu. She's gotten so much recognition after AoS. I'm also one of those who were first hooked to AoS because of her visuals.
NGL I also have a feeling that she's gonna have great chemistry with LJW both because they're closer in age and because I expect the dynamics of their relationship to have changed once she gets back her power and body. (yes, I'm assuming the rumours are true that GYJ is returning as FL)
Don't get me wrong though I'm UkieDeoki team by preference but I'm just being objective on both side. I also blame the lack of chemistry in the recent episodes to the drama direction. Can't help but feel as though drama is trying to mentally prep us for the real OTP as Cho Yeong/Uk for S2. Of course, I could be entirely wrong here.
13 hours ago, Tina288 said:i am the one or the few who likes jung somin and Lee jaewook’s chemistry.
I like JSM and LJW romantic pairing. I think they've got so much potential but I really don't know why the drama choose to dilute their chemistry after ep8 or something? Ok, the Cheongbugwan hug scene is fine. But as of recent episodes the only romantic things they've been doing is to declare that they will die for each other at covid distance apart (oops, even in different places) and then followed by 10 second or more stare. So it just make me go into a sarcastic mode thinking that the drama is trying to get us not invested into Uk-MD pairing so that they don't have to deal with so much backlash later when the OTP is changed.
Anyway here's to hoping drama will give more romantic action for the night date scene. It doesn't have to be touchy feely, or have super long/many screen time but for god's sake just drop the formal vibe there.
Since we've got two weeks to burn, ukiedeokie rant ahead!
SpoilerI can rant about many Ukiedeokie so called romantic scenes during the later episodes but at the top of my head:
Re the hug after the unsuccessful soul shift by Gilju scene. Even if I am not complaining about why are they not addressing the part where Uk sees MD in soul world, like what's up with Uk patting MD's back like his mom/ aunt/ sis? I mean c'mon that's the first time we see a tender/emotional Naksu. Why don't let the love acknowledgement happen from here instead of some elaborate Songrim test. Didn't they already know the significance of the yinyang jade exchange even at that point?
Also even if we were to accept a passionate kiss scene is just not possible under current situation why can't MD have the same tender eyelock moment with Uk in all of those moment where they have declared their love to death ala Yul 3 heartbeat scene??? Of course this is with the caveat that it comes with a proper set up.
Anyway my point is I think the lack of romantic chemistry between LJW/JSM is due to the drama direction itself.
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10 hours ago, partyon said:
They need Bu Yeon/Mu Deok back in order to lead the Jin family. If they don't do that, then Cho Yeon and Dang Gu can't get married.
I like the way you think chingu
11 hours ago, LeftCoastOppa said:Personally, I'd like to see part 1 end with Jang Uk & Mu Deok/Naksu still together as they are now, no more soul shifts. Have Mu Deok honor her pledge to help Yul in his task at the Seo fortress, and if Yul indeed has her old body, have her tell him to burn it as she is no longer that person - while Bu-Yeon's back story is intriguing there is no way to flesh out a full fledged character with 4 episodes left, I like the idea as some of you have already posted of Bu Yeon being a type of guardian angel, let her and the spirit of Naksu merge in the end ( I'm still holding out that she is in spirit at least, the original Jin founder ) As long as it has taken to bring Jang Uk and Mu Deok/Naksu to where they are, I cannot see any sort of realistic (bad word in a fantasy drama, I know
) ending for them if Naksu returns to her old body. Jang Uk is not Yul, he never knew/saw Naksu in here old body - He is clearly in love with the combined Mu Deok/Naksu.
Couldn't have said it better myself here. Though honestly the whole GYJ returning as FL for S2 rumour kinda color my expectation that Naksu/Cho Yeong and MD/JBY's gonna be separated. I'm not holding out for any satisfactory end for our OTP at this point but at least, please do justice to Naksu/ Cho Yeong/ MD/ JBY characters. Both are tragic characters, IMHO.
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1 hour ago, Paperx Atelier said:
Park Min Young and Shin Hye Sun. Both are very capable of bringing the role to Naksu S2 10 ep. They will slip into the role smoothly opposite of JangUk. Problem is..whose schedule are open at the moment and who has been extremely quiet during these transitional time. Doesn't hurt to discuss. Who doesn't want to be part of the Netflix family nowadays. Just a stone thrown into the lake of discussions.
Interesting. This is the second time i've seen similar comment about shin hye sun and this drama.
2 hours ago, Paperx Atelier said:If MuDeok is in S2..mostly she will carry the Jin Clan to partner with Songrim Clan to strategize against the Queen and her followers which are growing rampantly in the kingdom. Its going to be a chess game of who is who by the end of S2..if the villains step up on their chess placement game and no matter how well JangUk and Naksu grow in terms of skill..they can't fight against the villains in terms of headcounts thus alignments of sort need to happen.
#2: Naksu to train in Cheonbugwan her birthright while JangUk train with Songrim and MuDeok to lead Jinyowon..Yul mostly will be at the fortress taking over border protection suitable for his personality. Just because the villains are destroyed doesn't mean those using sorcery for soul ejecting or learning hwansu to transfer soul will still have good intentions..so gatekeepers of the Daeho kingdom still have to be vigilant and grow. This personally will be the ending I feel more suitable especially when duty and loyalty theme. Also Naksu and JangUk can continue their trainings as master and pupil..who says love has to end with marriage and kids..sometimes it ends with career and swords instead..which is more progressive in my opinion.
If the drama ends the way you have theorized above, then i would consider this to be a good ending. Except i don't know how they can fit all this into 10 episodes if they run S2 the way they do S1. Also I have one idea to add though not all would agree - buyeon will pose a little romantic tension to our OTP. Btw, reading your comment makes me connect the almost all female jin clan like the emei sect in wuxia.
Yes i totally agree that these day happy end for couples doesn't entail marriage and starting a family and all that..
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3 hours ago, frozentundra said:
Whatever the reasons for it or where they plan to go in the script with Buyeon, her ability to bind Naksu's powers and develop/heal Naksu as a person has been pretty important. There was a lot of damage done to Naksu's soul, you know? Seeing her dad killed, being used by Jin Mu and turned into his pet murderer, her inability to love others and accept love from them... Tying up her powers and forcing her to care about other people has really been good for her.
One more question I have is this: what hold does Mudeok/Buyeon have over Soyi? Soyi is a thief, she doesn't seem to care who she swindles or who gets killed for knowing her. But curiously, she is protecting Mudeok, even though she is scared Mudeok will be discovered as the real Buyeon. What is the story there??
Second u there. There was some form of healing there for Choyeong when her powers are sealed by JBY. For the first time in her life, she's forming genuine connection with others.
My own buyeon theory - she is like a guardian angel to uk/ naksu. Perhaps she already divined uk and naksu's (and perhaps even her own) destiny and is gently guiding them along the right path without intervening too much except during a crisis.
Other than MD/buyeon's hold on So-I, i wonder the other way round. Did buyeon saved so-i on purpose when she helped open the jinyowon door? Like she knew so-i's circumstance that her whole survival hinges on pretending to be her. In the same vein, did she "absorbed" naksu's soul to save her because she has sensed naksu's situation?
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3 hours ago, sadthe1st said:
@kwayteow_mama totally love the “i stick my saliva on you, now you’re mine” kind of gesture lol marking territory
Yes, Jang Uk please reply like a grown man and show our girl here how proper saliva territory marking should be done
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LOL our favorite assassin changing tack now?
It's okay I still love cute exchanges
But Uk's gotta up his game to give emotional reassurance to our understandably insecure assassin now..
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9 hours ago, SleepyKitty said:
Why is it that they always get angry whenever they're professing their love to each other lol. I think as far as i remember, they're the only couple who ever did that, multiple times, each time completed with death threats. Apparently we're not kidding when we said that death threats is kinda their love language
Yes I was thinking exactly the same thing! Uk is so tender when he regards Heo Yoon Ok - if I hadn't know any better I would have thought they were the OTP. Yeah I get that they are candidate to world's couple with most complicated relationship, background, circumstances.. Honestly after calling out their feelings, things have been just been awkward.
6 hours ago, Tina288 said:Despite for having strong development romance with jang Uk, it would change a lot when she shifted her body. I think her feelings wouldn’t change but I think it will affect jang uk. It is just very different identity. I may have to suffer to watch the romance grow in different naksu in her own body am when we would mourn for mudeok/naksu/buyeon and even jung somin. She really nailed her part in three characters in Mudeok’s, and not to forget her chemistry with Lee jae wook. It was growing so much.
My reasoning for that is the separation of naksu and jin buyeon in Mudeok’s body would affect jang uk. Buyeon’s sacrifice may hurt him. Most of you may think that mudeok is completely Naksu’s soul and memories. And mudeok is a vessel. I am actually missing out the story of Naksu’s destiny and why jang gang is looking for her. Naksu is also the key to all of these things. I sometimes think mudeok has bits of buyeon and more naksu. Buyeon since birth May have same fate as jin seol- ran, and jang uk same as the founder of songrim. I think jin seol-ran either disappear or sacrificed herself. She may be the ice stone. That is why the poem wasn’t able to reach her. I think buyeon’s destiny is jang UK’s love and partnership. I think it is one of the reason that naksu began to have shared feelings with buyeon for jang uk. That is my belief but I think buyeon also have something to contribute to jang UK’s growth.
I totally agree with your reasoning. We can go on and on about how the soul or the essence defines the whole of the person and so on but in reality, we would need time to get used to someone's new look after getting plastic surgery much less a new body/form altogether. To demonstrate my point, imagine in Mr Queen, were the chef was able to return to his body after all and bring the King to the future and told him it was him all along, wouldn't it look totally unrealistic if the King were to accept it right away? Granted in AoS case, soul shifter is somewhat physically equivalent and they don't have to contend with different timeline.
Anyway it depends a lot on drama decision whether to inject some realism or go the other way. That said, from a lot of comments I've seen, people are seemed to be divided over MD/JBY-Uk vs Naksu/Cho Yeong-Uk. But who knows maybe MD/JBY/Naksu/Cho Yeong are all conveniently the same person after all..
6 hours ago, frozentundra said:I don't think we have enough of Buyeon's actual personality at this point (ep 15) to make much of her? Perhaps she will be absorbed into Mudeok/Naksu. I wouldn't expect her to want to return to her mother after seeing how the woman treats everyone she is related to (including Mudeok). I just feel like if she was going to be a significant character on her own, we would have seen her actual personality and personal action more in the plot by now.
Totally agree here. With still so many plotlines, I just don't see JBY's character being expositioned at all. Just feel sad for her being reduced to a deux ex machina to save our OTP skin. Why use an actual person at all and then who was portrayed to be blind, shown to be someone who's not supposed to be born anyway, whose existence will ultimately be sacrificed to save the world and who lived most of her life as a beggar on the streets? It could have well been an object itself. Will be very happy to be proven wrong here by the drama.
5 hours ago, iamsherry said:There’s a minute left before end of episode, so much time for cliffhanger kiss and tvn gave us what?
to .
Yeah this drama does spend quite a lot of screen time in repeated scenes in flashback and staring at one another. Whenever I smell a stare scene coming, I've been skipping 10 seconds ahead..
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I was just wondering if we finally got the direct confession of love (of uk and md respectively) from the preview of ep 11/12/13/14 (sorry lost count) finally in ep 15..
ep15 end convo is just a sure path to angsty couple end. Just feel so sad for naksu..
Ep16 preview... just lol that MD can stay brutally objective choyeon and uk are like match made in heaven
Buckling seat belt for 2 weeks wait after tomorrow..
2 hours ago, marrez1 said:Heo girl is definitely in love with Jang Uk, but man didn't see anything, he will be in confusion later when someone maybe will tell about his marriage with this girl, i want him to tell this girl that he doesn't love her but she seems to belive the contrary
Can't blame her since drama direction is to choose this one time for uk to be totally oblivious and not the emotionally upfront guy he usually is. Or i just forgot that daeho people are really progressive.
Oh ya and not forgeting that i can only say park jin is always trumped by romance card
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So far for me, the editing/writing doesn't really seemed to correspond to the sentiment on the ground
My first thought on the hiatus is there's some kind of development/change in the direction of S2 and they're trying to make a smoother connection between S1 and S2.
Regardless, I'm not holding my breath...
3 hours ago, frozentundra said:It looks like at least we get to see some progression on the Buyeon side, if the previews are any indication. You'd think that the Jin family would be way more curious about this girl who opened a door to their treasure chamber all by herself, but I guess the little sister didn't exactly offer that information. But given the appearance of Soyi, they should be a lot a lot a lot more curious about who the original Mudeok actually is. Cause our Mudeoki/Naksu is going to be in a lot more danger, now that Soyi has shown up and joined the baddies.
I sure hope so! From current track record where answers to the mystery we are most curious about are usually revealed skimpily at the beginning or towards the end by some character narration, I'll be pleasantly surprised if Buyeon's character will be developed beyond being MD's dormant superpower to be invoked at the last minute. I would expect at least fake Buyeon will make it to Jin household by ep 16 but who knows? Then you will need time for gut wrenching sequence of fake Buyeon vs real Buyeon before the whole identity resolution. And this is not yet counting the other major plot points like Naksu/MD/Cho Yeong/JBY identity crisis, (or even like the two girls interacting with each other), Cho Chung, Jang Gang, the final fight etc.
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no alchemy of soul episode next week but there'll be some kind of special episode???
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) I must say that I also really like the romance there! It's the same FL with cafe minamdang no? And Lee Seung Gi is reuniting with Lee Se Young in a drama properly featuring them as the OTP...
)
) ending for them if Naksu returns to her old body. Jang Uk is not Yul, he never knew/saw Naksu in here old body - He is clearly in love with the combined Mu Deok/Naksu.
no alchemy of soul episode next week but there'll be some kind of special episode???
[Drama 2022] Alchemy Of Souls: Light and Shadow ✴ 반환
in k-dramas & movies
Posted
Still, I have wished they have shown us the finality of her death at the end of S1 because when I see her being fished out and knowing how fantastical everything can be, it's like giving hope that JSM will be back in some capacity. If they have showed us the finality convincingly, they wouldn't have to come up with an official explanation on what happened.
Yup agreed that probably buyeon's story hasn't ended even if JSM appearance has ended. Because of the fantastical element that dead people can be brought back to life one way or another, can't help but wonder the finality of the supposed deaths. Anyway, will just take TVN word that buyeon's petrified while harboring two souls but somehow only naksu's soul's preserved.
And considering how tragic things ended on S1, I'm speculating happy end for OTP. Else, what's the point of dragging out the story?
LOL me too!
All this on that tree right? LOL
And he would be taken away by her beauty. If he has only seen her in MD's eyes back then, he sees her beauty in its entirety now.
I